Related Articles

He said the retweet should also be viewed within the context of clashing opinions he and Ms Franks held in regard to sex workers and the place of Christianity in society.

Nevertheless, he offered an apology.

"Tammy Franks says she is offended, accordingly, I accept the genuineness of her offence and withdraw the tweet and apologise for it," Mr Atkinson said in a statement.

Premier Jay Weatherill also acknowledged the Speaker's apology and said he hoped Mr Atkinson would curb his use of social media.

"I understand he has said he will be engaged in Twitter less often, focusing perhaps more on his gardening prowess than engaging in running battles with other members of parliament and I think for that we are all relieved," the premier said.

"Id love it if he basically put his phone away and stopped tweeting. That would be a wonderful thing."

Ms Franks said the issue highlighted the broader "toxic culture" within parliament and accused Labor of also spreading rumours of an affair between herself and Opposition Leader Steven Marshall.

"In question time there have been sexual slurs against me time and time again, some of them quite obtuse but one of them reasonably specific," Ms Franks told ABC radio.

Mr Marshall also denied the rumour and said it was part of a broader smear campaign by the government.

"There is a different innuendo every week by this government," he told ABC radio.